Chris Eleam Chris Eleam

Is the Bible prudish about sexual relations? Not at all. The emotion of romantic love and the ecstasy enjoyed between a man and a woman are gifts from God. However, this intimacy is to be enjoyed only by marriage partners. So to a married man, Solomon gives this exhortation: “Drink water out of your own cistern, and tricklings out of the midst of your own well.

Should your springs be scattered out of doors, your streams of water in the public squares themselves? Let them prove to be for you alone, and not for strangers with you.”—Proverbs 5:15-17.
“Your own cistern” and “your own well” are poetic expressions for a beloved wife. Experiencing sexual enjoyment with her is likened to drinking refreshing water. Unlike the water supply in public places, a cistern or a well is considered private property. And the man is counseled to father children at home with his wife rather than scatter his seed in public squares, that is, among other women. Clearly, the advice to a man is to be faithful to his wife.

The wise man continues: “Let your water source prove to be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth, a lovable hind and a charming mountain goat. Let her own breasts intoxicate you at all times. With her love may you be in an ecstasy constantly.”—Proverbs 5:18, 19.

“Water source,” or fountain, has reference to the source of sexual satisfaction. Sexual pleasure with one’s marriage mate is “blessed”—God-given. Hence, a man is exhorted to rejoice with the wife of his youth. To him, she is as lovable and beautiful as a female deer, and as charming and graceful as a mountain goat.
Solomon next poses two rhetorical questions: “So why should you, my son, be in an ecstasy with a strange woman or embrace the bosom of a foreign woman?” (Proverbs 5:20) Yes, why should a married person be lured into sexual intimacy outside of marriage through contacts at a place of work, at school, or elsewhere?

To married Christians, the apostle Paul gives this counsel: “This I say, brothers, the time left is reduced. Henceforth let those who have wives be as though they had none.” (1 Corinthians 7:29) What does this entail? Well, the followers of Jesus Christ are to ‘keep on seeking first the kingdom.’ (Matthew 6:33) Therefore, married couples are not to be so absorbed in one another that they give Kingdom interests a secondary place in their lives.

May 06 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

This is an interesting question, Arnaldo Oliveira Phd LAc!

I like to take the Apostle Paul's advice on this subject from a few different Bible translations.

1 Corinthians 7:2
CEV "Well, having your own husband or wife should keep you from doing something immoral." Satan will say "stolen water is sweet," but God says, "Drink water from your own cistern."
1 Cor. 7:3
NOG "Husbands and wives should satisfy each other’s sexual needs."
1 Co 7:4
CEV "A wife belongs to her husband instead of to herself, and a husband belongs to his wife instead of to himself." 
1 Cor. 7:5
NET "Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."

Proverbs 7:13-20 The Message (MSG) says this about the temptress:

She threw her arms around him and kissed him, boldly took his arm and said, “I’ve got all the makings for a feast— today I made my offerings, my vows are all paid, So now I’ve come to find you, hoping to catch sight of your face—and here you are! I’ve spread fresh, clean sheets on my bed, colorful imported linens. My bed is aromatic with spices and exotic fragrances. Come, let’s make love all night, spend the night in ecstatic lovemaking! My husband’s not home; he’s away on business, and he won’t be back for a month.”

But the One who TRIUMPHED over sin's TEMPTATIONS said, "Marriage must be honored by everyone and the marriage bed must be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and the adulterers".

February 05 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report